Northeastern University

Welcome!

The Lifespan Emotional Development Lab (LEDlab) investigates the links between attention and emotion throughout the adult lifespan. We are interested in how individuals of different ages manage their emotions, and what role attention plays in emotion regulation and maintenance of well-being.

Our research, led by Professor Derek Isaacowitz, is funded by the National Institute on Aging. We use eye tracking to investigate ways different individuals process emotional material from their environment in nearly real-time while viewing different types of stimuli. Tracking eye movements allows us to unlock the connections between how we feel and what we see. This process allows us to quantify visual attention as well as creating a more realistic alternative to simply administering pencil and paper on how individuals grapple with different emotions.